Week in pictures: Hong Kong

Exploring hidden cocktail bars, mulling over South African wines with Chris Mullineux and a Veuve Clicquot boat party. It’s been an interesting week for the Hong Kong wine trade.

Taxidermy scarab beetles line the ceiling of Joseph Boroski’s new invitation-only cocktail bar, J. Boroski. The Bangkok-based mixology consultant led a cocktail masterclass for Hong Kong’s drinks media – “if you drink it, you should know how to make it.” 

Ta-da! (Sort of). dbHK’s Lucy came up with her own gin fizz which didn’t actually taste too bad. 

With the man himself, Joseph Boroski.

© Emilio Navas

What are they all looking at? Jordi Roca and his brothers, Joan and Josep, from the world’s best restaurant, El Celler de Can Roca in Girona stopped off in Hong Kong to treat us all to amazing culinary techniques and jolly stories about Spain’s molecular gastronomy scene. 

Joan Roca adds the finishing touches…

All aboard for the Veuve Clicquot journey! A free-flow champers boat trip was the first in a series of planned Hong Kong events celebrating Madame Clicquot and the international success of the Veuve Clicquot  brand.

Too many good things happening at once… the boat, the bubbles. On a three-hour cruise from Hong Kong to Tsim Sha Tsui (and back again), guests drank endless glasses of Veuve and were even able to write a postcard to anywhere in the world, courtesy of the Veuve Clicquot postal service…

Possibly one of the biggest oysters ever seen… Hong Kong’s Test Kitchen opened its doors to welcome the 2015 San Pellegrino Young Chef of the Year, Mark Moriarty and his team from Dublin for a three-night Irish extravaganza which kicked off with this giant Irish oyster and buttermilk.

A line up of some of the best wines from the Swartland at Hong Kong’s new wine space, Beta. Chris Mullineux of Mullineux & Leeu Family Wines stopped over in Hong Kong to introduce the wine trade to his Old Vine Chenin Blanc, Syrah and 100% Chenin Straw Wine, as well as his White Blend which uses less commercial varieties including Clairette Blanche, Viognier and Semillon Gris.

“South Africa needs to find wine ambassadors,” declared Chris while talking to some of Hong Kong’s journalists. “South African wine is a bit lost on people’s minds.” The talk then veered towards the role of the South African winemaker – should they be in the vineyards or travelling the world, educating consumers about the wonders of South African wine?